The present invention relates generally to optical illumination lenses, and more particularly to folded path optical illumination lenses.
Previous non-imaging folded optics utilized a light-source that had to be immersed in the dielectric medium of the lens. This immersion of the light source meant that the package containing the source, typically an LED source, is permanently glued to the lens. Additionally, the gluing requires the use of a transparent adhesive and is relatively labor-intensive.
Alternatively, previous optics were generated through injection molding, requiring the LED to be sufficiently rugged to withstand the rigors of the injection molding process. In either case the optical source is immersed deep within the body of the device.
The present invention advantageously addresses the above and other needs.